Auhtor speed dating, pub poetry lock-ins and story-time train rides - the Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival programme is available from today.
Festival chairwoman Alexandra Bligh said the programme detailed the 39 festival events, featuring more than 50 international and national authors, set to star for six days from May 5.
The 2014 festival had 23 events.
One of last year's headliners was 2013 Man Booker Prize winner Eleanor Catton, and Ms Bligh said this year's line-up was just as good.
''Anna Smaill is coming. She is tipped as a potential Booker Prize winner. She has written a book called The Chimes and it's getting rave reviews all around the world.''
Other New Zealand writers included Witi Ihimaera and Patricia Grace.
International writers included chef and food writer Stephanie Alexander, Guardian correspondent Nick Davies, 2014 Costa book winner Helen Macdonald and novelist Zia Haider Rahman.
People should get a programme and attend the festival, Ms Bligh said.
''They will be stimulated, they'll be part of a reading community and they'll be exposed to new ideas, and be introduced to rising literary stars.''
Programmes are available from venues including the Regent Theatre, University Bookshop and Dunedin Public Library.
